NBA Free Agency 2017: 5 potential destinations for Taj Gibson
By John Buhler
Oklahoma City Thunder power forward Taj Gibson is one of the better big men to hit free agency this summer. Here are five potential landing spots for him.
Though he will be 32-years old this upcoming NBA season, power forward Taj Gibson is one of those players that will immediately make whatever team he joins in unrestricted free agency better. He had spent the bulk of his nine-year NBA career with the Chicago Bulls, but was traded at the deadline to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Gibson is a pro’s pro, as he will bring great defensive tenacity, muscle on the glass, and a solid post-game offensively. Though he’s not going to be anything more than a fourth or fifth starter on a contending team, Gibson is exactly the type of rotational player that a winning culture would want.
In 78 games between the Bulls and the Thunder in 2016-17, Gibson averaged 10.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. While he offers no threat of a 3-point shot, Gibson shot an impressive 51.5 percent from the field last year.
For a team looking to upgrade its frontcourt depth, Gibson would be a perfect addition. Here are five teams that would make the most sense for him to sign with this summer in his unrestricted free agency.
Dallas Mavericks
West, Southwest
Maybe the Dallas Mavericks can land a solid free agent this summer? While Gibson wouldn’t be a top-tier free agent candidate that owner Mark Cuban would be hoping for, he could help re-establish a defensive identity for long-time Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle.
When Dallas is playing its best ball, the Mavericks have the defensive chops to back up their usually strong offense. It helps having a transcendent talent in the frontcourt in power forward Dirk Nowitzki, but 2017-18 could be his last year. Nowitzki has made it a point to play 20 seasons with the team that drafted him before probably calling it a career.
While 2017-18 will be the Year of Dirk in Dallas, it would be wise for them to think ahead to 2018-19 in how the Mavericks want their roster to look like. Obviously, the Mavericks will need to match whatever offer center Nerlens Noel garners in his restricted free agency this summer. Since Nowitzki is more of an offensive-minded player, would it be better for Dallas long-term to see if Gibson can’t help mentor Noel?
A Gibson/Noel frontcourt rotation alongside Nowitzki could be interesting as Dallas tries to qualify for the Western Conference Playoffs. Dallas probably isn’t a series contender to do much next year anyway, but entering Dallas at a low point could be a good thing for Gibson. There is no state income tax in Texas, Carlisle is a strong coach and it would be a more functional situation than he has been in with Chicago and honestly Oklahoma City this last year.